Guy Head facts for kids

Guy Head (died 1800) was an English painter who lived a long time ago. He was known for his portraits and for copying the works of famous artists.

Early Life and Training

Guy Head grew up in a town called Carlisle in England. His father was a house-painter. Guy learned how to draw from a man named Captain John Bernard Gilpin. Later, he became a student at the important Royal Academy in London.

A very famous painter, Sir Joshua Reynolds, noticed Guy Head's artistic talent. This was a big deal for a young artist.

Exhibitions and Travel

Guy Head started showing his paintings at major art exhibitions. In 1779 and 1780, he displayed portraits at the Royal Academy. He also showed a painting called The Fire at London Bridge Waterworks at another exhibition. In 1781, he exhibited a landscape painting and a portrait of the actor Henderson.

With help from friends and Sir Joshua Reynolds, Guy Head traveled to Italy. He lived in Rome for several years. While there, he became very skilled at copying paintings by master artists. He made copies of works by Correggio and Titian. Some of his large copies of Rubens's paintings are now at the Royal Academy. Besides portraits, he also painted scenes from ancient stories.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1798, Guy Head returned to England because of a revolution happening in Italy. He brought back many of his drawings and copies. He planned to show them to the public.

However, Guy Head died suddenly in London on December 16, 1800. His artworks were sold a few years later. Sadly, his fame did not last long after his death. Some of his pictures, like Echo and Iris, were later made into engravings.